StudyBlue printing of 4- html, body, div, span, applet, object, iframe, h1, h2, h3, h4, h5, h6, p, blockquote, pre, a, abbr, acronym, address, big, cite, code, del, dfn, em, font, img, ins, kbd, q, s, samp, small, strike, strong, sub, sup, tt, var, b, u, i, center, fieldset, form, label, legend, table, caption, tbody, tfoot, thead, tr, th, td { margin: 0; padding: 0; border: 0; outline: 0; font-size: 100%; background: transparent; } body { line-height: 1; } blockquote, q { quotes: none; } blockquote:before, blockquote:after, q:before, q:after { content: ''; content: none; } /* remember to define focus styles! */ :focus { outline: 0; } /* remember to highlight inserts somehow! */ ins { text-decoration: none; } del { text-decoration: line-through; } /* tables still need 'cellspacing="0"' in the markup */ table { border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0; } /* end RESET */ .header { min-width:800px; } .logo { padding:6px 20px 2px 20px; margin:0; font-size:25px; font-weight:bold; color:#808285; position:relative; border-bottom: 1px solid #c5c5c5; } .logo-blue { color:#70adc4; } .logo-desc { font-weight:normal; font-size:19px; color:#cccccc; margin-top:50px; position:absolute; display: none; } .back-button { position:absolute; top:20px; right:20px; font-size:13px; line-height:25px; color:rgb(0,175,225); font-weight:normal; } .back-button a { color:rgb(0,175,225); } .instructions { padding:0; margin:0; width:100%; position:relative; color:rgb(100,100,100); } .step-holder { border-left:1px solid #ededed; margin-left:20px; } .steps { padding:15px 0; float:left; width:24%; border-right:1px solid #ededed; text-align:center; } .steps-01 { } .steps-02 { } .steps-03 { } .steps-04 { } .label { padding:5px 10px; } .print-button { } .print-button a { background-color:rgb(0,175,225); color:white; line-height: 19px; padding:9px 8px 5px 30px; font-size:14px; text-decoration:none; background-image: url(images/printer.png); background-repeat: no-repeat; background-position: 7px 50%; -moz-border-radius: 5px; -webkit-border-radius: 5px; } .print-button a:hover { background-color:black; } .theNote .content { width: 8.0in !important; margin: 5px auto; padding:20px; background-color:white; } .theNote .header { border-bottom: 1px dashed #C8C8C8; font-size: 17px; padding: 0 0 10px; line-height: 19px; color: #00ADE1; min-width:500px; } .theNote .body { font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 10px 0; } .theNote{ padding:6px 0; clear:both; background-color: rgb(200,200,200); } .theNote h3{ color: rgb(100,100,100); } .theNote h1, .theNote h3{ background-color:white; padding:2px 20px; width:8.0in !important; margin: 0 auto; font-size: 15px; } .theNote h1{ padding-top: 10px; font-size: 15px; } .theNote h1:first-child{ font-size: 20px; } .theNote h3 { font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; } #options { border: 3px double #ccc; padding: 5px 12px; margin: 10px 50px 10px 20px; float: left; } #info { border-top: 1px solid #ccc; padding-top: 5px; font-style: italic; } li { margin: 5px 10px 5px 25px; } ul li { list-style: disc; } ol li { list-style: decimal; } img { border: 0; } table { clear: both; width: 100%; border: 1px solid #c5c5c5; border-width: 1px 0; margin: 0; page-break-after: always; } table#page { page-break-after: auto; } td { text-align: center; font-size: 12px; border-bottom: 1px dashed #c5c5c5; height: 1.75in; width: 50%; padding-left: 15px; } .leftside { border-right: 1px solid #cccccc; padding: 0 15px 0 0; } .bottom td { border-bottom: none; } .clearfix { clear:both; line-height:1px; height:1px; } img { max-width:80%; max-height:150px; margin:20px; } @media print {.header { display: none; } .content .header{ display:inherit; } table { border: 1px dashed #bbb; border-width: 1px 0; } .theNote{ background-color:white; } } Political Sources of Opinion Change media influence Politicians (do they pander or not) Why does it matter? Consequences for republican government Is system knowable? Is change in opinion systematic? If so, who molds public opinion? [Opinion is not knowable.] [systematic: understandable, predictable, non-random] [if opinion is molded by elites, it isn't worth much. They are like actors on a stage and we are the audience] Consequences for democratic accountability [republican government: ruled by people or their representatives] [if our opinion isn't stable, we can't criticize politicians] Elections and Voting General Features early primaries and caucuses have tremendous importance momentum plays a huge role, especially when coupled with the characteristic effects of media as institutions, party nominating processes have a tremendous impact on primary - general election dynamics [ex. Obama won caucuses, Clinton won primaries] Voting Two general types of voting Sincere: voting for a candidate you like even if you think they'll lose. Ex. Nader Sophisticated: vote for second favorite who is more likely to win Why Vote? duty [US has most elections, despite low turn out] efficacy [if we vote, we have the right to complain] Importance of Voting and Participation we probably place too much importance on elections as the end-all, be-all in US politics voting is the only one way to participate, and sometimes may be the least consequential candidates run against government, but have to govern when they arrive in office elections set the general direction of government, but provide no detail The Policy Process Some Basic Concerns What is public policy? the stance of government on an issue and the action the government takes on that issue (or lack of government) What are the components of a policy? (problems, solutions, tools, targets) government must think something is a problem to do anything about it solutions: differ vastly tools: incentives, tax breaks, coercion, fines targets: quotas -> who the policy affects Who makes or shapes policy and how? How does policy change over time? What spurs policy change? Stages of the Policy Process 1. Problem identification (media, social movements, public opinion, interest groups, ect) 2. Agenda setting (which problems are selected for attention) public agenda government agenda 3. Formulation (must formulate solutions to problems that made it onto the agenda) 4. Implementation (solutions don't implement themselves) 5. Evaluation (must evaluate performance of solutions and start over) process is not always as neat as above different political institutions/actors are more or less prominent at each of these stages; but all political actors and institutions play a role at each stage Theories of Policy Change Garbage Can Model: Three streams 1. Problems: conditions which must meet both technical feasibility and value acceptability 2. Policies: exist independent of problems and vice versa. A solution looks for a problem 3. Politics policy entrepreneurs play a vital role (they support policies, problems or both) policy windows: (both external events are created within)->[window of opportunity. Sept. 11 provided an opportunity to push immigration reform, ect] major policy change occurs when these streams are coupled , where change is not rational and predictive Incrementalism originally developed as a theory of budgeting process as theory of budgeting, base and fair share was central, (what happens today is a product of yesterday plus wiggle room) (make adjustments based on feedback) Two theories of decision making rational choice: you weigh every bit of information and maximize choice based on said information bounded rationality: make decisions that are good enough more broadly, these were institutional norms budgeting was also consensual (general agreement on overall direction of policy) incrementalism and budgeting were processes of satisficing ; decisions were too complex to allow for comprehensive rationality Punctuated Equilibria long periods of incrementalism "punctuated" by short periods of drastic policy change Some definitions and central notions Policy image: general view of the issue of policies addressing the issue held and fostered by its particular subgovernment Policymaking venue: an institutional body with authority to make policy Policy subgovernments are central to policy status and change; subgovernment conflict produces policy change incrementalism rules the day as policymaking is generally insulated by subgovernments punctuations occur when subgovernments lose control of policymaking. This usually occurs because the policy image promoted by a given subgovernment has become contested and/or opponents have successfully shifted policymaking to a new venue Venue shopping and issue definition are key Advocacy coalition Framework Learning is central to understanding policy change subgovernments are usually comprised of two competing coalitions These advocacy coalitions compete to influence policy primarily by generating information on the problem and policies used to address it; political conflict breeds learning in this way this learning challenges the beliefs held by each advocacy coalition in the conflict [competition -> learning -> beliefs] Institutional Rational Choice institutions structure policy choice institutions: repetitive situations organized by norms, rules, and strategies rules are nested, there is hierarchy pursuant to #2, organization and structure are vitally important for understanding the effects on policy of a rule-change types of rules: entry/exit, position, scope, aggregation, information, and payoff entry/exit: barriers (ex. PhD requirements) [you need a PhD to teach at UT] position: requirements for positions [a PhD does not mean you can teach any course] aggregation: majority rules, proportional representation (how decisions of individuals are added to equal one) information: who gets info payoff: grading, monetary compensation (who gets benefits/costs in an institution) scope: a change occurs, how applicable is it to affect the rest Path Dependency where you sit determines where you stand past policy directions structure future choices precludes some options...constrains future agenda brings about new problems as externalities of previous policy choices policy change layers on past policy choices Economic Policy Key Ideas and Indicators Capitalism (private ownership of the means of production) Laissez-faire orientation Mixed economy Unemployment Rate (structural vs. frictional) generally 3-4% due to changing nature of economy structural: lose job to never be found again (automated jobs) frictional: displaced and looking for jobs (potentially temporary) seasonal: retail, entertainment Consumer Price Index: price of how much it takes to live Gross Domestic Product: value of all economic activity Two Types 1. Monetary Policy: (monetarism, Milton Friedman); main concern is to check inflation Friedman: less government involvement major problem is money supply. Check inflation: devaluating money over time. 2-4% inflation per year is typical. Government can manipulate money supply to create growth 2. Fiscal Policy: (both demand-side and supply-side policies), main concern is economic growth and performance taxing and spending: huge government involvement Monetary Policy Major actors: the Federal Reserve (The Fed): control of interest rates; reserve requirements for banks the bank for banks. Raise interest rates to lower money supply. Banks are less likely to borrow and vice-versa Treasury Department: buying and selling of US bonds (T-bills) buy bonds to increase money supply (we get paid for bonds we bought) and vice versa Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC): insures cash deposits in banks -up to $250K Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC): runs stock market. Can regulate how much banks invest. Some influence on how and how much banks may invest Fiscal Policy Major Actors: President: the budget, general direction of policymaking. Congress, especially the House of Representatives all tax/spend bills must originate in the House, by Constitution Ways and Means Committee (House); Budget committees in House and Senate (reconcile with US budget) Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and Congressional Budget Office (CBO) Two Perspectives 1. Supply-side economics : stimulate growth through fiscal policy aimed at production (business) [give money to people who know to do without -> entrepreneurs] 2. D emand-side economics : stimulate growth through fiscal policy aimed at consumption (put money in hands of those who will spend it) Demand side Economic management Keynes government spending stimulates economic activity deficits stimulate economic activity government should increase spending and run deficits in the short run during recessions governments should decrease spending and run surpluses during good times MUST keep an eye on the long-run leger balance Supply side Economic management high tax rates on incomes and capital discourage investment and hence economic growth cut taxes for long-term growth consumption taxes (sales, ect.) (Preferred by rich people) tax cuts do not pay for themselves and are never delivered when they would work tax cuts poor investment, but there are two sides to supply side. Supply side investments (especially in infrastructure) does stimulate a great deal of economic growth Social Welfare social welfare programs: provide benefits to individuals through entitlements and means tested entitlements: a product from being defined a certain way means testing: meet requirements income distribution: shares of national income owned by various groups wealth: value of assets already owned poverty: the government definition is what a family must spend for an "austere" living: feminization of poverty Major Players department of Health and human services Social security department of labor department of education department of agriculture centers for medicare Types of Programs 1. entitlement 2. means-tested 3. progressive (tax rich) vs. regressive (tax poor) 4. earned income tax credit (negative income tax) 5. transfer payments: dollars and in-kind payments History and Perspectives social security act of 1935 (set up SS and AFDC for poor children) LBJ: War on Poverty (extended welfare to include matters of housing and healthcare) Reagan: cuts welfare rolls; attitudes of public became race-coded Personal responsibility and work opportunity act replaced aid to family with dependent children with TANF imposed budget constraints on states people had to find work within 2 years lifetime limit of five years conservatives argue that welfare creates disincentive for work Politics of Public Risks General Features extreme events: probability of occurence is very low, but the cost or consequences are very low policies without publics as opposed to policies with publics present collective action and free-rider problems societal weighting of science and expertise Major Players department of homeland security (terrorism, disaster response; all hazards approach) federal emergency management agency US coast guard transportation safety administration immigration and customs department of energy department of defense History used to be civil defense FEMA created by executive order Carter; transferred disaster management March '03 Bush folded FEMA Tensions and fault Lines domestic security vs. disaster preparedness detection vs. response vs. mitigation (limit effects) real threat? by defense performance will be poor if event happens; conversely, evaluation of performance will be poor if event does not occur

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